That tone in the woman's voice made his unease grow. He only had two women's numbers on his phone: his mother's and Nyoko's.
Who was this? And how did she get his number?
He composed himself and replied in the most serious tone he could muster, trying to show her indifference, though her delicate voice still unsettled him.
"Yes, it's me. Who are you? What do you want? And how do you have my number?"
"I'm a nurse at Kyoto Katsura Hospital."
Those words stopped Nagisa's heart. They confirmed his suspicions.
His mind immediately jumped to the worst scenarios about what might have happened to Nyoko, and before long, he shouted through the phone.
"What happened?! Is my wife alright?! Wait, I'll come immediately!"
He didn't even give her a chance to respond to his questions or say a word.
He hung up abruptly and shoved the phone back into his pocket. His heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest, and all he wanted at that moment was to run with all his might to reach his wife.
Nagisa turned to his manager, moving quickly, then leaned close to his ear, whispering with a hint of panic.
"Sir... I need to leave immediately, it's an emergency."
His voice was trembling, and his eyes seemed to beg for time, as if he were fighting the ticking of the clock to run to the hospital and spend the night by his wife's side.
But the manager, that short, plump, elderly man, didn't even bother to lower his voice or show any respect for the urgency of the moment. Instead, he pursed his lips in a scowl and shouted in the middle of the meeting room, in front of everyone.
"Leave the meeting?! Have you lost your mind?! Listen to me, you impudent fool, if you walk out now… consider yourself fired!"
The manager's insulting words struck a chord deep within Nagisa, a feeling of rejection that stood firm against the humiliation.
He stood up straight, his eyes gleaming with a determined resolve that refused to break. He didn't say a word, his expression unchanged, but he started to step back, one step after another, until he left the meeting room.
Shock appeared on everyone's face—the manager, the committee, the employees. No one expected Nagisa, who had spent five years at this company and built his name here, to walk away from it all… without even blinking.
When he crossed the threshold of the door, Nagisa paused for a moment, turned around, and raised his voice with unshakable confidence.
"My wife… and my dignity, are worth more than all your money."
Nagisa threw his words into his manager's face, then turned without hesitation, giving his back to everyone… to the employees, to the meeting, to his entire career.
He rushed out of the building, and all that occupied his mind now... was Nyoko.
He didn't wait for a taxi. Instead, he ran, cutting through the streets of Kyoto as though hungry wolves were chasing him!
His steps were so fast that his feet barely touched the ground, and the adrenaline coursing through his body burned through his veins, propelling him forward without a trace of fatigue.
Passersby on the street stared at him in shock, some thinking he was mad, while others feared he would crash into them.
He almost got hit by a car while crossing the street at breakneck speed! He quickly raised his hand to apologize to the driver, who couldn't even respond, as Nagisa continued running without turning back.
The driver sighed in frustration, but kept going, while Nagisa kept running, never stopping... until the tall silhouette of Kyoto Katsura Hospital rose ahead of him, towering in the sky as if standing between him and the fate waiting for him there.
Nagisa sprinted toward the automatic glass doors, which opened for him as he dashed into the hospital without slowing down.
The place was relatively calm, as it was a Tuesday morning, and there wasn't much of a crowd, with most people busy with work or school.
Breathing heavily, sweat glistening on his forehead, he rushed to the reception desk.
The adrenaline was starting to wear off, and he felt the weight of exhaustion in his knees and joints. But there was no time to rest, no room for waiting...
He slammed his palms on the desk, his voice trembling and frantic,
"Where... where... Where is my wife?!"
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Thank you for reading! If this moment touched you even a little , please consider adding it to your library.💐